Horner admits Red Bull exit came as ‘a shock’ in farewell to staff

In a heartfelt address to Red Bull Racing staff at the team’s Milton Keynes headquarters on Wednesday morning, former team principal and CEO Christian Horner revealed that his abrupt removal from his leadership roles came as a significant “shock”.

The official announcement, which followed a decision communicated to him just the previous evening, marks the end of Horner’s 20-year tenure at the helm of the Formula 1 team he helped transform into a championship winning powerhouse in the sport.

In a heartfelt and emotional address to team members, Horner expressed his deep gratitude and reflected on two decades of building one of F1’s most dominant teams.

“Yesterday I was informed by Red Bull that, operationally, I will no longer be involved with the business or the team moving forward from after this gathering,” Horner told the assembled staff, in footage obtained by Sky Sports.

“I will still remain employed by the company, but operationally, the baton will be handed over. And that obviously came as a shock to myself, but what I've had time to do is to reflect over the last 12 hours or so.”

The 51-year-old emphasized that he wanted to deliver the news himself and personally thank the people he’s worked with over the past two decades.

“I wanted to stand in front of all of you to break this news, and just express my gratitude to each and every single member of the team that has given so much during the last 20 and a half years that I've been here,” Horner continued.

A Legacy Built From the Ground Up

Horner reminisced about the early days of the Red Bull Racing project, when he took over the Jaguar F1 team – itself an emanation of Stewart Grand Prix – and helped transform the outfit into a genuine front-runner and winner in F1.

“When I arrived 20 years ago, with a few less gray hairs, I walked into a team, I didn't know what to expect. But I was immediately welcomed. And out of two rundown buildings, we started to build what became a powerhouse in Formula 1,” he said.

“Watching and being part of this team has been the biggest privilege in my life. Seeing the team…” Horner said, before becoming visibly emotional. His speech was interrupted by applause from staff, underscoring the impact of his leadership.

He also posted later in the day a heartfelt personal message on his Instagram account (see hereunder) that paid tribute to "the amazing people" at Milton Keynes, as well as to his rivals,  that were part of his successful journey with Red Bull over the past 20 years.

Leadership Change Confirmed

Red Bull’s parent company announced that Laurent Mekies, who had been serving as team principal at sister squad Racing Bulls, will now take over both roles previously held by Horner – team principal and CEO. Mekies’ appointment was confirmed earlier on Wednesday.

Read also:

• Brundle on Horner’s exit: 'Not completely out of the blue’

Since the news broke, Red Bull Racing has issued only a brief statement acknowledging the leadership change, with no additional comment on the reasons behind Horner’s abrupt removal.

As Red Bull enters a new chapter under Mekies’ leadership, Horner’s emotional farewell marks the end of an era defined by eight drivers’ championships and six constructors’ titles – a legacy built over 20 years of relentless ambition and dedication.

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